Improvement in abdominal supporters



. GURLEY I Supporters.

Abdomina Patented July 22,1873.

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AM Pf/oToAL/THoGHAFH/c co. ridosso/:n mocss) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JOHN GURLEY, -OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT-IN ABDOMINAL SUPPORTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,137, dated July 22, 1873 application filed May 22, 1873.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. GURLEY, of Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Abdominal Supporters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Fig'ure l is a perspective view, showing the supporter as in actual use, and Fig. 2 is a plan.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote the same parts.

The object of my invention is to provide for the public, and especially for the use of females whose condition may require it, an abdominal or uterine supporter having improved facilities for adjustment to the person of the wearer, so as to be comfortable when in use, capable of adjustment higher, lower, or otherwise, and also capable of bein g tightened or loosened at the top, bottom, or middle, so as to concentrate its supporting-power at the proper part of the abdomen, leaving the rest ofthe person comparatively free. To these ends my invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement ot'parts constituting the supporter, as I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawings, A indicates the body of the supporter, which is made of cloth in a single piece, and adapted to be braced up at the back, as shown at b. c c are vertical openings cut into the cloth from the lower nearly to the upper edge, provided with lacing-cord, and so arranged as to come at the hips of the wearer and to divide the body A of the corset nearly into three parts, a a a', the central or front part being the longest, as represented in Fig. 2. d d are shoulder-straps, which may be made adjustable by means of a buckle, if desired, and e e are forked straps connected to the proximate corners of the parts a a, as shown, and adapted to be fastened at their lower ends to the hose or other parts of the lower garments. One vertical covered stay, s, is arranged in the corset at the center of the front part, and on either side thereof is another covered stay, s', inclined inward at its lower end. Stays m a are also arranged at the edges of the side openings and at the edges of the back openings, as shown. v

By properly adjusting the back lacing and side lacings the corset can be made to iit accurately the shape of the wearer and to concentrate and apply its supporting power wherever most needed. The two side openings can be adjusted to the hips so as to support the front and back pieces, and can at any time be eularged or contracted by means ot' the lacings, so as to give ease to the wearer. The shoulder-straps may be adapted to be used either in front or in rear, as a suspender for other garments. The shoulder-straps d d and the lower straps e e can be used in combination, to raise or lower the corset, adjust it properly on the person, and prevent it from working up or down while in use. The front stays are adapted to the curvature of the form, and are so arranged as to give front and lateral support to the abdominal muscles to any desired extent accordingly as the lacings may be adjusted. By drawing the lower edge tight and loosening the upper edge the abdomen may be supported and the stomach relieved from all pressure.

The patient can readily apply the supporter and properly adjust it without exposure or assistance from others, and can remove it at night or apply it at night, as maybe desired. The device is simple, neat, durable, and capable of being washed without injury.

I am aware that shoulder-straps have been used with abdominal supporters, and that stocking-supporters have also been attached to extensions of supportersv that embrace the legs; butuImam not aware' of any in which the attachments of the stockingsupporters are made directly to the abdominal supporter on each side of the lacings.

I claim as new- The combination of the single-piece supporter with back and side lacings, the shoulderbraces and straps for attachment to the stockings, the same being bii'urcated at the top and attached directly to the corsets each side of the side lacings, all arranged as described.

I .A JOHN W. GURLEY.

-Witnes'sesz' f MELVILLE CHURCH, C. F. BROWN. 

